for an EDP system approach (was: backporch)

[Texture444@aol.com]

while i still have this minute for quick-think:
in my "backporch" post that began to include my loop-desire-dealies, i
inadvertently skipped some key factors, yo :

        a mixer. a mixer!
        (it hasn't escaped my attention that some o'the listers, here, 
have posted on
this very subject):
        for almost 2 years, i've been pitching some manufacturers (mackie: 
no
response, rane: passed, tone king: wants to do it, but no resources, chris
davis, speck: passed, and now, rivera amplifiers: thinking seriously & 
mesa:
interested, but passed) on building an overly simplified kinda 
"matrix"-mixer,
specifically for loop-purposes, but: w/lotsa other potential apps.
        starts, here:
        we're talking about a clean 12:2 (or, 8:2, whatever) stereo mixer
(!critically!, in 2-4 rack spaces) w/no eq but, maybe, for a lo-cut, 
minimum 4
selectably pre- or post- fader sends w/individual send mutes, mutes on all
channels, panning, maybe 1 or 2 mic-pres, touchy-feely-knobs (possibly:
faders, or both but: touchy-feely!), coupla selectable turntable/or cd 
inputs,
a single control for the main stereo output, headphone amp w/separate 
output
ctrl, and "main" mutes. the touchy-feely thing is important, as is the 
user's
ability to get instant & accurate visual feedback from the mixer's panel: 
in
this regard, some color-coded bright led's might serve.
        the full-tilt (good name, that: "full-tilt": catchy, even) version 
includes a
stereo sub-buss which can be assigned to the main outs, or it's own pair; 
all
channels can be assigned to either/both busses, and the buss-to-output 
control
is a horizontal crossfader. additionally, there's a big-assed 4-way spring-
loaded toggle switch which, on it's vertical axis, acts as the crossfader 
does
(but, in a momentary fashion); on the toggle's horizontal axis- in both
directions -the switch turns all mixer outputs "off". (this could be 
achieved
w/2 separate 3-way togglers).
the full-tilt might also include an onboard, accessible programmable matrix
for the sends, and/or programmable 'scenes' for the mutes: while i don't 
think
of midi as a necessity, here, i'm sure it'd have it's uses.

        in a connected warp, something similar might be included in the 
next
generation EDP, or as part of a feature-expanding rack-mount "add-on" to 
the
current EDP***: multiple, user-selectable inputs-to-the-looper. {while i'm 
on
this silly wishlist crap: it'd be wonderful to have a metronome/clock in 
the
EDP, whereby you could pre-set the tempo of a loop and see and/or hear some
kinda stupidly obvious & accurate light/audio blip; not that i'm gonna even
mention wanting to have a tempo calculator for 'wild' loops (ie, 
"post-set" of
tempo), nor my evil hankering for a "fit-to-chosen-tempo" function)}.

{***ya know, like ya buy the original EDP, 'n then expand it w/the new
unit(s)?}

which sorta leads me to my foregone (though maybe not explicitly-enough
stated) desired conclusion:
an open, intensely flexible, cross-marketable, beginner-to-expert looping
SYSTEM

anyway, i think more, but:
the soapbox is slippery, and
i'm outta time!
best to all,
dt